Door counterbalance



Aprifi 24, 1951 G. c. PEARCE DOOR COUNTERBALANCE Filed Sept. 14, 1945 Patented Apr. 24, 1951 7 7 2,550,161 noon COUNTERBALANCE George C. Pearce, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Genoral Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a cor- I poration of Delaware Y Application September 14, 1945, Serial No. 616,361

description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a, preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: V

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section along one side of the oven, taken along the line l-l ofFig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a portion of Fig. 1, showing the parts in a diiferent position.

A range embodying my invention may include a main body 10, which may include an oven liner II, a door ja'mb l2 andside bottom channels l3. These members may be of any suitable construction, and the specific form shown is merelyby way of illustration.

The main body may carry door brackets I 4, which conveniently may be attached to the chan-. nels l3 by means of the bolts [5. The bracket I4 has a hook-shaped extension 16 passing through the s1ot'l2a in the door jamb l2. The

extension 16 is provided with an opening for the reception of a hinge pin IT in the door I8.

The door l8 may be of any suitable construction, and conveniently may have an outer panel 19 and an inner panel 20. The hinge pin I1 is secured at one end by the screw 21 to the panel 20 and passes through the extension l6 and a portion 22 of the door counterbalance arm 23 of the door I8. The door counterbalance 23 may be attached to either of the panels l9 or 20, and is shown attached to the panel 19. In general the bracket l4, pin I1 and door construction may be of the character disclosed in the patent to F. H. McCormick 2,378,421, patented June 19, 1945.

The door may be counterbalanced by duplicate spiral springs 38, at each side of the door opening. One end orportion 3| of the spring 30 is secured to the counterbalance arm 23, being hooked into the opening 32. The intermediate 7 Claims. (Cl. 126-191) portion 33 of the spring rides over a pulley 34, and the other end or third portion 35 of the spring 30 may be secured to the main body of the range by means of the bolt 36. The pulley 34 is carried by a pulley-carrying member 31, which may include one or two levers 38 hinged at 39 to the bracket l4. The levers carry the pulley 34 by means of pin 34a. In addition, they carry a wedge rider 40, which may be in the form of a pin or roller secured to the levers 38. The spring 30 and pulley-carrying member 31 may be duplicated at each side of the door, if desired.

The arm 23 is provided with a wedge 4| which rides over the wedge rider 4!]. When the door is fully closed, the upper portion 42 of the wedge 4| engages the rider 40, as shown in Fig. 1. When the door is slightly ajar, for broiling purposes or the like, the lower portion 43a of the wedge 4| rides against the wedge rider as shown in Fig. 4. The reaction of the spring 30 on the pulley 34 and levers 38 is such as to hold the wedge 4| in either of the positions shown in Figs. 1 or .4, the door snapping from one position to the other as the point. of the wedge 4| passes over the rider 40. I

An abutment 43 is provided on the arm 23, which is adapted to engage the top 44 of the slot 45 through which the arm 23 passes the door jamb 12. When the door is in fullyopen horizontal position, the abutment 43 engages the top 44. In this position the tension of the spring 30 is not sufiicient to pull the door upwardly; but does exert a counterbalancing action.

Insulation 46 may be placed around the oven liner II. If desired a shield 41 may be secured to the channel l3 for the door jamb I2 for the purpose of preventing the insulation from falling into engagement with the arm 23.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A device of the character described comprising a main body having a wall provided with an opening, a door hinged to said body adjacent said opening and adapted to close said opening, a pulley lever hinged to said main body, a pulley on said lever, tension spring means having one portion secured to said door, an intermediate portion passing over said pulley and a third portion secured to said body, said spring means imparting a bias to said lever, and means on said door and lever responsive to said bias and coop- 3 erativ-ely holding said door both in closed or slightly open positions.

2. A device of the character described comprising a main body having a wall provided with an opening, a door hinged to said body adjacent said opening and adapted to close said opening, a pulleylever hinged to said main body, a pulley on saidlever,=-a counterbalance armon said door, tension spring means having one portion secured to said arm, an intermediate portion passing over said pulley and a third portion secured to said body, said spring means imparting aubiastosaid lever, and means on said arm and lever responsive to said bias and coo-peratively'moldingsaid door both in closed or slightly openpositions.

3. A device of the character described comprising a main body having a wa'll providedvwith an opening, a door hinged to said body..-adjacent said opening and adapted to close said opening, a pulley lever hinged to" said main body, a pulley on said lever, '-a -counterba-lancearm' on 'saiddoor,

tension spring means: having one portion secured to said arm,"an intermediate portionpassingover said= pulley and a' third'portion secured to said body, saidspring means-impartinga-bias to said lever, a wedge on said arm, and a-wedge-rider'on said lever, "said wedge and wedge rider cooperating-in response-to said bias to hold said door both" in closed or slightly openpositions.

"'4. A device of the character described -comprising a main body -having a wall provided with an openingpa door hinged to said body adjacent saidopening and-adapted to close said opening,

a pulley-carrying member hinged to said body,

a pulle on said-member; a=-counterbalance arm member on saidfloor, tensionspring means'having-one portion secured to said arm member, an intermediate "portion passing over said pulley and -a "third portion-secured to -said "body, said spring means imparting 'a -biasto said pulleycarrying member, awedge on one of said 'mem- -bers; anda-wedge-rider'onthe other of said members-"said "wedge and wedge "rider cooperating in response '-to--said bias to'hold said door both. in closed or slightly openpositions.

5. A device of thecharacter described comprising a main bodymaving'a wallprovide'd with an opening; a door {hinged to :said "body adjacent said opening-and adapted to closesaid opening,

a pulley-carrying member hinged'to said body, a

a third-portion secured tosaid body; said spring means imparting a I bias tosaid pulley-carryin member, a wedge on said counterbalance arm said opening and adapted-to close said opening,

a pulley-carrying member'hinged to said body, a pulley on said member, a counterbalance arm member on said door,tension spring means having one portion secured to said arm member, an

intermediate portion passing over said pulley and ia'ithirdjportion:secured to said body, said spring .meansimpartingabias to said pulley-carrying member, a wedge on one of said members, a

:we'dgerriden on thesother of said members, said wedgeand wedge rider cooperating in response to said bias to hold said door both in closed or slightly open positionspand an abutment on said "counterbalance arm memberengaging said "main -'body when said door is 'fully open.

-7; "A device of r the character "described -comprising a main body having *awall provided'with an opening, a door hingedtosaid body adjacent said opening and-adapted'toclose 1 said" opening, a pulley 'leverhinged- 0 saidmain bodyya 'pulley 'on said lever, ahelic allywoundtension-spring of substantially uniform diameter having one end secured to said door, an intermediate -portion passing over said I pulley and 9 its other *endsecured to said bodyysaid-spring-impartingaflbias tosaid lever, andmeans 0n=said-"door'andiever responsive to sa-id bias-and 'cooperativ-elyholdin said door both in closed or slightly open I positions.

-GEGRGEC. PEARCE.

1 REFERENCES GITED The following referencesaareuof record in the "file of this patent:

.UNITED LSTATESz-EATENTS Number "Name Date 1,010,071 Potter -Nov.' '28, '1911 1,640,250 Possons Aug, 23, 1927 '1;678;'855 -Forshee JulyB 1,' 1928 1,'785';568 Wells '"Dec. 16, 1930 1,954,182 Rasmussen Apr. 10,1934 1,963,388 Smith June 19,1934 2,129,750 Schneider Sept. 13, 1938 2,249,733 Hofistetter Julyf22; 1941 2,264,059 Weimer, etal JNov. "25,1941 2,281,018 Barnsteiner'etial. Apr.".'28, 19.42 2,378,421 McCormick June119, 1945 2,401,977 Smallwood June'l1f1'946 

